Cavendish finishes second in Giro sprint. WHAT?

The young sprinter for Farnese-Vini-Selle pulled off a rare athletic feat in stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia. He forced all the journalists to re-write their lead paragraphs.

Perhaps on the the most surprising thing about the sprint into Veldelago was the look on Cavendish’s face as Guardini raised his arms in triumph. It’s an expression we’ve hardly ever seen from the Manxman: a stunned look of disbelief. His mind could barely contain the idea that someone could beat him in a flat out test of speed.

When Cavendish got out of the saddle he figured the outcome was decided. He was gonna thank the team for their work, what a tremendous bunch of guys, really, I just had to cap it off, G took me right to the line. Uhh, no quotes today, no Delilah, no Petra, no champagne spray.

Almost as bad in Cav’s book, that butthole Roberto Ferrari took third place. Really, these Italians can be so irritating. Don’t they know Cavendish is a Member of the British Empire? No, some 22 year old punk from Pregnago is stealing his glory.

The World Road race champion’s face said it all — No, recount, this is messed up. Even a quick chat with teammate Bernard Eisel yielded no plausible explanation. Cavendish is the fastest sprinter in the race, ergo, what the fettucine just happened?

Weird things are happening in this Giro d’Italia. First, some guy from Canada might win the whole thing. Then a kid on Cipollini bike beats Mark Cavendish.